Electric blasting reel and cable



Aug. 8, 1933. H. SKAGGS ELECTRIC BLASTING REEL AND CABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Filed July 22, 1931 li erary fiagya wmm a "$01.1

Aug. 8, 1933. I SKAGGS 1,921,009 Y ELECTRIC BLASTING REEL AND CABLE Filed July 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,zaya.

filraryd'l'ayyqmmm w ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,921,099 ELECTRIC BLASTING REEL AND ABLE Henry Skaggs, Lookout, W. Application July 22, 1931; SerialNo. 552,468 7 Claims. (01. 175-9 1) The invention relates to an electrical apparatus designed particularly for use in blasting and has for its general object provision of a novel portable reel containing a battery and carrying a coil of wire and intended and adapted 'for'use wherever it is necessary. to set off a charge of explosive from a distance as is frequently necessary in mining and other operations.

An important object of the invention is to provide a deviceof this character which will be far superior to the ordinary method of using ajlength of wire which is simply coiled or uncoiled by hand as needed, it being well known that the ordinary method results in kinking the wire "so that it lasts but a comparatively short time.

Anv important object of the invention is to provide a portable reel containing an electric battery and circuit closer means of such construction ,and arrangement that the circuit'is normally broken so that it will be impossible to have an accidental discharge of a blasting cartridge or other explosive inasmuch as itrequires a certain special definite act to close the circuit. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is'so constructed and arranged that an additional source of current'may be plugged in if necessary or advisable in case the requirements of the particular job to be done should demand.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which the essential operating parts are normally enclosed and will therefore be protected against derangement or accidental dis-- turbance. I

An additionalobject is to provide a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to make, easy to use, positive in action, eflicient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in' which Y 7 Figure 1 is a side elevationof the device with the cover plate shown open. t

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-'-2' of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is' a detail elevation showing the circuit closer arrangement- Figure 4 is an elevation of "a cover disk of the circuit closer device.

' binding posts 27 and 28 to which are connected Figure 5 is adiagrammatic view showing how desired :size and shape and painted; nickel plated or otherwise finished to have a neat and attractive appearance. ,As the device isintend- .ed to be portable the casing is shown as provided at its top with a suitable handle 11 so that it may be readily carried about from place to place wherever the use of the device is need,- ed. Journaled through substantially ,the ,cen

te r ofthe casing is a drum 12 or reel including a central cylindrical hub member, 13 of hollow formation and end' flanges or disks 14.v Actually, one disk 14 is shown as provided with a trunnion 15,journa1ed"within,a flanged opening-16 in the casing. At its other end the cylindrical 5 hub 13 projects beyond the casing through a .flange 17 surrounding 'anappro'priate opening thereinand is provided with an extension 18 carrying a crank handle 19 for rotating pu'rposes. The second 'mentio'ned end of the hub 13 projects outwardly beyond the casing 10 and beyond the flanges 17 above referred to andcontains ,aci'rcuit closer mechanism to be described. Furthermore, this projecting end is provided withfa cover p1ate 20 pivoted at 21 and provided with a handle 22 for operating purposes so that it may be swung into or out of its closing relatio'n to the endof the drum or: hub portion 1 thereof. 1 p V As mentioned above, the hubmember13 is of cylindrical form and hollow and consequently serves as a convenient enclosurefor adry cell or electric battery 23 which has its central terminal 24 projecting through a disk 25 of insulating'material' located withinthe hub. Furthermore, thisbattery or dry cell has the customaryoutside terminal 25 extending through the same disk. Thedisk 25 carries a pair of terminals or the conductors 29 and S0 of a cable 31 which is woundabout the drum or hub portion 1301 the drum and which is of course adapted to be con nected with a blasting cartridge or anything else to be operated, set off "or/the like. 'Naturally the casing 10 must be provided at some suitable' i point with an opening for thepassage of this conductor or cable. v r

Pivoted upon the-terminal post 27 is a' metalno lie contactiarm 32 having an extension 33 adapted, when so desired, to be brought into contact with the central contact 24 of the battery or cell 23. Connected with this contact is a coiled spring 34 which normally operates to hold the I extension 33 out of engagement with the terminal 24. Furthermore, this contact member or arm is provided with a projection or lug 35 which constitutes a finger hold so that the arm may be swung to bring the extension 33 into engage ment with the terminal post 24 when such is desired. In addition to the coil spring 34 there is also provided a leaf spring 36 which performs the same function. Pivoted upon the terminal 7 post 28 towhich the conductor 30 is attached is a contact arm 37 which is adapted tobe brought into engagement with the terminal 26 of the battery and which is formed with a finger hold or lug 38. A coil spring 39 connects with the contact 37 and a leaf spring 40 is also engaged therewith for normally maintaining the contact 37 out of engagement with the terminal 26. Stops 32 and 37 are mounted on the disk 25 by means of screws 32 and 37 and are engageabie by the arms 32 and 37, respectively, for limiting movement thereof. under the influence of the springs.

The disk 25 is covered by another disk 41 of insulating material held in place by any suitable means and which is formed with an opening 42 for the passage of the lugs or finger holds 35 and 38, the disk 41 being normally covered by the plate 20 above referred to; At the edge of .and press them toward each other against the resistance of the springs 34 and 39 so as to bring the extension 33 on the contact 32 into engagement with the central terminal 240i the battery or cell 23, and the end of the contact 37 into engagement with the side terminal 26 of the battery or cell. When this is done it is quite clear that the circuit will be closed through the blasting cap or Whatever else is to be electrically operated] It is consequently apparent that. when the device is first attached the cir-' cuit is bound to be broken so that there will be no danger whatsoever to the operator inasmuch as it requires a positive action on his part to close the circuit.

g In some instances it may be desirable to use a heavier current from that provided by the dry cell 23. In such event it is to be understood that some external source of current such as a storage battery. or .a group of dry cells or the like, indicated at 43 might be used, therebeing two conductors 44 and 45 adapted t'o be connected with the auxiliary source of current and formed into a cable 46 with terminals 47 and 48 respectively which,'after the arms 32 and 37 have been moved part way toward each other, may be inserted in the notches 49 "and "50. Then when the arms are again released I they will engage the plugs and hold them in the notches.

The device is, placed where desired and the cable 31 is connected with whatever is to be operated. When connection is made between the conductors 44 and '45 and the of the fact that kinking of the wire is avoided it should be apparent that the conducting, cable prising a casing equippe'dwitha carrying handle,

battery 43 current will be supplied for setting off a charge for accomplishing a similar de sired result.

It will be noted that a particular advantage in the use of the device is that the cable 31, when not in use, is always wound evenly upon the drum and when in use is pulled off therefrom'in a uniform manner so that when rewound it will not kink and cause either breaking of the metallic conductors or of wearing or I chafing of the insulation. It is also apparent that the device may be used with extreme ease especially as it is light and readily portable. Moreover'the work of attaching the conducting cable to the blasting cap, fuse or any other device to be operated will be greatly expedited and facilitated so that the work may be carried on much more easily, quickly and with less danger thanwould otherwise be the case. In view 9% will have a much longer life than would otherwise be the case. It is really thought that the construction, operation and advantagesshould be readily apparent to one skilled'in the art without further explanation. 7

While I have shown a "d described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it shouldfof course be understood that I reserve the rightto 'make I all such changes in the ,details of construction as well as .in the arrangement and-combination of parts as will not depart'from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the 's ubjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: 1. In adevice of the character described, a 0

icasing, a hollow drum rotatably mountedtherein and provided with a turning handle, a-conducting cable'woundupon the drum, a battery located within the hollow drum, and a switchlocatedat one end of the drum and interposed between .the battery and the conducting cable and operable for closing the-circuit through the latter, I g r 2. ,A device of the character described, comprising a casing equipped with a handle for carrying purposes, a reel journaled within the casing and carrying a conducting cable,'said reel having a hollow hub'portion, a. battery located within said hub portion, crank means for turning the reel, and a circuit closer carried by the hub portion of the reel and connected with the cable and the battery 'andoperable for closing a circuit through the cable.

3. A device of the character. describedQcomfprising a, casing equipped with a carrying handle, a reel rotatably mounted within the casing and, comprising a hollow cylindricalhub equipped with a handle, one end of said hub beingclosed and theother being open, a battery located Within the, hub and having terminals projecting through the open end thereof, a supporting disk of insulating material mounted at the open end .of the hub, pivoted contacts.

mounted upon said disk and movable to en- 1'40 gage the respective terminals, and a conduct- -ing cable on the hub portion of p the reel and connected with said contacts. g

4; A device'ofithe character. described, com- 1 a reel rotatably mounted within the casing and including a hollow hub portion closed at. one

end and open at the other, a source of current.

mounted within said hub portion, a cable. of.

hub portion, a disk of insulating material closing the open end of the hub portion, terminals for the source of current extending through said disk, and a pair of pivoted spring pressed contacts connected With the conductors mounted on said disk and movable to engage the terminals of the source of current for closing a circuit through the cable.

5. In a device of the character described, a casing equippedwith a handle for carrying purposes, a reel journaled within the casing and having a handle located exteriorly thereof, a conducting cable secured to and Wrappedabout the reel, a disk of insulating material at one end of the reel, said reel containing a battery having terminals, and spring pressed contact members connected with the cable and movable into engagement with the-terminals of the battery.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a casing equipped with a handle for carrying purposes, a reel journaled within the casing and having a hub portion of cylindrical form with one end closed and the other open,

a dry cell located within the hub portion, a disk of insulating material covering the open end of the hub portion, the terminals of the dry cell extending through said disk, a conducting cable secured to and wound about the hub portion of the reel, and spring pressed contacts connected with the cable mounted on said disk and movable into engagement with the terminals of the, cell, finger grips on said contacts, a second disk covering the first disk and having an opening therein accommodating the finger grips on sai contacts.

'7. In a device of the character described, a

for closing the circuit through the latter, and 'means for connecting an external source of current to the switch whereby the battery within the drum will be cut out.

HENRY SKAGGS. 

